The funding announcement on the Collaborative Health and Social Care (Addiction Services) Investment Area, through the PEACEPLUS Healthy and Inclusive Communities theme, will contribute towards the more efficient delivery of health and social care services relating to addiction services.
The programme will be delivered through provision of personalised comprehensive care to individuals experiencing Alcohol Related Harm (ARH)/Dual Diagnosis (DD), and by using digital technology to provide insights to guide the transformation of healthcare relating to substance use and mental health interventions.
| Two projects will be delivered as a result of the latest PEACEPLUS funding awards: Community Alcohol Detox+ project (CAD+), a cross-border community-based biopsychosocial model that aims to deliver personalised comprehensive care to individuals experiencing Alcohol Related Harm (ARH)/Dual Diagnosis (DD). CAD+’s objective is to mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol on individuals, families, and communities, while addressing the socioeconomic issues that continue to undermine the health and wellbeing of Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. This will be achieved by supporting individuals aged 18+ with ARH/DD in safely detoxing at home or in a community space rather than in residential services. Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology (SUMIT), a pilot project that aims to provide valuable insights to guide the transformation of healthcare and influence future policies and strategies for digitally enabled health and social care services. The aim of the SUMIT project is to expand digital inclusion to people living with substance use (drugs and alcohol) and associated mental health issues (PWSUMHI) and develop three digitally enabled products for 1,500 beneficiaries. Target beneficiaries are affected by waiting lists, lack of interventions, stigma, poverty, and ill-health, when trying to access health and social care interventions. Beneficiaries will be targeted through four sites which will cover Letterkenny and Derry/Londonderry, Belfast (prison services), Louth and Fife. Beneficiaries will be provided with digital devices, connectivity, and human support which will improve access and engagement with health and support services while also teaching self-management. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA said: “Substance use impacts the lives of too many individuals, families and communities across Northern Ireland, and indeed on both sides of the border. Both projects that have been awarded PEACEPLUS funding are very much in line with our Substance Use Strategy and will test new ways of working that we can then evaluate in detail and build into the services we deliver in the longer term. “I very much welcome this investment and look forward to seeing both projects improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people across our society and improve outcomes for those in need.” |
| Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said: “Research findings demonstrate a clear correlation between addiction and the legacy of conflict, so I am very pleased that addiction services have been identified as a specific intervention for support, especially within those areas where there are clear benefits to collaborative, cross-border interventions. “The two projects approved, which will deliver addiction services to vulnerable people living in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, will not only lead to healthier and more hopeful lives for individuals suffering from addiction, but will also undoubtedly benefit their families and the wider community. ”SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “Cross-border collaboration is proven to deliver considerable benefits in terms of health and social care and bringing equality of access to essential services to local citizens. With demands on health and social care services so high, coupled with major issues in terms of resources, cross-border co-operation can alleviate those pressures by delivering economies of scale. “A joined-up approach can deliver more efficient and effective resources, maximising the potential of technology to transform how healthcare is accessed and delivered. We are delighted to work with funded projects that will ensure equal access to healthcare and fostering resilience in health systems, achieved through a range of collaborative, cross-border health and social care initiatives, together with community-based initiatives that address the legacy of the conflict.” |
